The Price of Freedom
by Shiare
Summary: The price of freedom is steep for Zack Fair, yet not as steep as it could have been. Gaia is becoming angrier and now sees to defend itself from the return of Sephiroth, however Gaia's defense has the wrong idea of the freedom Gaia seeks. ZackXAerith.


**-The Price of Freedom-**

**Chapter I: Freedoms Expense**

"Boy, oh, Boy. The Price of freedom is steep." Spoke the voice of a man. His voice held slight aggravation but a calmness at the same time. To others, had they ever saw that man as he spoke they would have thought him to have a death-wish, despite his words that clearly told of his want. For in front of the dark-haired youth was an extreme amount of weapon power. The army of the Shinra Electric Power Company.

Taking his sword in hand and holding it too his forehead he reminded himself of the words a dear friend had told him many times over. Those words were now his own to live by. He would protect his honour and dreams as a Shinra SOLDIER even though he was now faced to fight Shinra's army alone. What he would have given to have Angeal by his side now.

The man engaged combat with the army, taking them on in groups as others threw bombs and such at him. It was the brute of his sword and the blessing of his Materia that kept him alive. Yet as the battle waged on the army diminished with his supplies that he had already been lacking on. Soon he found himself without potions or a source of magic. His Curaga and Firaga useless. And though the army had taken a heavy blow from the 1st Class SOLDIER the youth was finding himself losing an almost impossible battle

Stumbling to his knees as bomb bounded off his barrier, smashing it, the male began to feel empty, forgetting.

The army was now reduced to three fighters. He'd come so far, freedom would come if only he could muster the strength to win. Rising up to fight he found it was now a struggle for him to even walk. He staggered to his targets, but they only mocked his lack of movement. With their constant success of hits he felt he couldn't continue, his memory was fading, he was forgetting loved ones, friends. He could only cling briefly to image of a woman.

Aerith.

She was his motivation, his want to live. He was so close to her now, Midgar was in view. Yet he couldn't find it in him to care any more as she who he cherished began to fade and the man fell to the floor.

The three army men stood by him, guns pointed. They were to finish him. He was proof of Shinra's failure. He could expose them even though his loyalty had forbidden him.

He heard the click of their guns, but he could hardly see them now, his vision was blurring, almost like he was crying. Did he have the energy for that though?

Even now as he was facing the worst pain of his life and was lying in his deathbed, he didn't want to die. He wanted to live, to live as a SOLDIER, like he'd once had before everything had messed up. Then…

"He's down!" Came a distant voice. And then, the sound of punches and electric.

Then more voices came, all far-off.

"He did all this? Woooah!"

"Reno, Tseng wants him alive."

"Yeah, I got it. This guy has an iron will to have done this. He's bleeding heavy, take him to the chopper."

"And take him back to Shinra?"

"I dunno, we'll ring Tseng in the chopper, c'mon, Rude."

"He's dying."

**--**

_"He-lloooooo!"_

_"Nope. To become a hero!"_

_"So beautiful."_

_"My strength, I'll lend it to you!"_

_"Your life is more important then my sword. Well, just a little."_

_"Be rejoiced, Tseng! With me and..."_

_"I've nominated you for 1st Class."_

_"I'm just joking. I'd never abandon you. We're friends right?"_

_"Give it your all to save your friend."_

_"I'm really happy. Since you're here with me. "_

_"Hey, wait! Genisis!"_

_"Me? Gongaga!"_

_"We aren't monsters, we're SOLDIER. Where has your pride gone?"_

_"You got that right!? Stay put up there! As for the rest, I'll think of something."_

_"I have 23 tiny wishes."_

_"Hold on to your dreams."_

_"Huh?"_

_"Your pride..."_

_"Zack..."_

**--**

There was a darkness. A deep, long darkness that had been there for a long time. But now, from within the darkness, he could hear. Zack could hear voices. Voices he didn't recognize. In fact, right now, Zack recognized nothing but the blackness of his sight.

"C'mon, Zacky, wakey wakey." Called a sudden boredly toned voice. "Time to get up, man."

Of course this new person in the room, who was a Turk, got no reply. He'd been doing this for a very long time, at first it had been amusing, but now it bored him solid. The Turk stood by for a while however not long after he's spoken he could have swore he'd heard a muttering come from Zacks lips.

"Woooah! Rude!" Called the Turk. "You awake, Zack?"

Zack slowly sat up, opening his eyes as he did so. He was in an unknown room. His senses had yet to return and he found himself remembering some things but not recalling others, like where he was. Yet he remembered this person.

"…Reno…" He said, his speech a lot smoother then one would have thought it to be for the situation of this man.

Reno was shocked; he'd only come in to do his routinely wake-up call and now his calls had been received. Reno had his long awaited and unexpected reply.

"Unreal, I thought you'd never wake up!" Reno declared, seeming excited. "You've been asleep for a hell of a long time."

"Where am I?" Zack said, looking at Reno, his face innocent with confusion.

"You're in a Shinra retreat. Or hideout, whatever." Reno answered. "Far southeast of Kalm. Pretty damn far from Midgar."

Zack looked forwards, he was so confused. His memory was so foggy, but he was sure he shouldn't have been here. What had happened again?

"You've been in a coma." Reno said. It caused Zack much shock. "You escaped from the lab in the Shinra mansion in Nebelhiem. Shinra sent the army and the Turks after you."

"Why?" Zack cut in.

"Because you where proof of how messed up Shinra's science department is." He replied. "I don't know how the hell you did it but you managed to avoid the army and the Turks for a good while. Then when you were at the outskirts of Midgar the army found you before we could, Tseng had told us to get to you first, but when we did get to you I coulda sworn you were dead. You took down an entire army 'cept for three, they nearly finished you off but we got to you first. You've been in a coma since then."

"What? Wait!" Zack was almost certain this was one of Reno's jokes, but then what was wrong with him? "How long have I been out?"

"6 years and 9 months."

"Ahh! No waaaay!"

**--**

**A/N:** Firstly, forgive me for my lack of writing skill and any typos I may not have spotted. It's been a long time since I've written so I've yet to re-grasp the realism of it once more.

FF title inspired by the beautiful piece of music 'The Price of Freedom', naturally from Crisis Core. I have high hopes and motivation for this lengthy to be story and I hope for readers to enjoy it. I ask for no flames, it is disrespectful and unneeded. If one must criticize then do it in a constructive manner please. The next chapter shall be MUCH longer and detailed and is already being written. I didn't want to write an insanely long introductory chapter.

I hope to have reviews soon. Thanks for your time and once again sorry for the typos, perhaps I should seek out a beta reader. :)


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